John Lennon Plastic Ono Band

On Febrary, 1972, The Mike Douglas Show broadcast a full week, five shows, with co-hosts John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Included among guest appearances and musical performances are John and Yoko discussing their love for each other, Lennon's boyhood recollections, Ono's unique art projects, and lots of candid discussion…

Although one of the world's best-kept secrets at the time, this was John Lennon's declaration of independence from the Beatles, the document of a concert appearance at Toronto's Rock and Roll Revival festival about a month after the conclusion of the Abbey Road sessions. Thrown together literally on the wing (they rehearsed only on the flight from England), the ad-hoc band consisting of Lennon, Yoko Ono, Eric Clapton on guitar, Klaus Voorman on bass, and Alan White on drums hit the stage to the surprise and delight of the thousands who packed Varsity Stadium…

The Classic Albums series does its usual impeccable job with this hourlong documentary of John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band record, his first true solo long-player. It's hard to imagine how they could have gotten more key firsthand interviews, with the expected exception of Phil Spector. Those offering their memories specifically for this documentary include Yoko Ono, Ringo Starr, Klaus Voorman (who played bass on the LP), several members of the Abbey Road production staff for the sessions, and (most surprisingly) Arthur Janov, the primal scream therapist who strongly influenced the tone of Lennon's singing and compositions of the era…

Written, recorded and released January 1970, in a span of just ten days, Instant Karma! was to become one of John Lennon’s most popular singles, reaching #5 in the UK and #2 in the US. Featuring George Harrison alongside bassist Klaus Voormann, drummer Alan White and keyboardist Billy Preston, it marked the first time any Beatle collaborated with legendary producer Phil Spector, who later that year worked on the band’s final album (Let It Be) and solo albums from John and George. Newly mixed audio.